Ecology: Day 2 notes Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/druclimb/56763994/in/photostream/

SUNLIGHT is the main source of energy for life on Earth Photosynthesis - uses light energy to make chemical energy or "food“ Write the photosynthesis formula into your notes:

Energy Flow Almost all producers (plants, algae) obtain energy from sunlight Photosynthesis in most producers uses sunlight as an energy source Chemosynthesis (in some prokaryotic bacterial) is a process where some producers use chemicals as an energy source to make their food e.g. bacteria in deep ocean volcanic vents

Chemosynthesis - makes food from chemicals (some bacteria synthesize food in this way) e.g. Some bacteria living in hot volcanic geysers (e.g. Yellowstone Park geysers) or coastal tidal marshes make their food from chemicals in those vents and waters

Energy Flow Autotrophs (producers) – can make their own food by capturing energy from their environment and converting it into "food“ (by using Photosynthesis or Chemosynthesis) e.g. plants Heterotrophs (consumers) - must eat things e.g. animals

Consumers are NOT all alike: Herbivores  eat only plants Carnivores  eat only animals Omnivores  eat both plants and animals

Consumers are NOT all alike: Detritivores eat dead organic matter (e.g. vultures, worms, ants, nematodes, etc.) Decomposers are detritivores that break down organic matter into simpler compounds: smaller pieces  molecules  atoms e.g. bacteria, fungus, etc All decomposers are detritivores, decomposers do the final, most complete job

FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS - shows the flow of energy in an ecosystem FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS - shows the flow of energy in an ecosystem *The direction the arrows point indicate where the energy is going when one organism consumes another. Each step in a chain or web is called a TROPHIC LEVEL

Food Chains A food chain is a model that shows the sequence of feeding relationships It links  species by their feeding relationships It follows the connection between one producer and one single chain of consumers within an ecosystem Food chains = one arrow’s flow

Food webs A food web - shows a complex network of feeding relationships An organism may have many feeding relationships in an ecosystem A food web shows the complicated feeding relationships and energy flow in an ecosystem

Food Web